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The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > "The Truth is in the Middle" - The Liberal Ideal in an Era of Nationalism
 
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TomViolence
Feb 19, 2013

PLEASE ASK ABOUT MY 80,000 WORD WALLACE AND GROMIT SLASH FICTION. PLEASE.

 I think the problem with liberalism as it exists right now is that it lacks a material, economic dimension and is too often a sort of abstracted politics-lite, where as the OP says, civility is the watch word. You can be literally dying from economic hardship, poor access to healthcare and police violence, but what matters to liberal sensibilities is that you're polite and civil in stating your case. Before Thatcher and Reagan destroyed the existing economic order in the 80s there was something of a social-democratic concensus in western countries that, while far from perfect, salved the worst economic woes for a lot of people and provided a basis upon which they could build a politics of mutual respect and civil debate. It's clear that that foundation, however decrepit and blind-spotted it may have been, hasn't existed for some time and it's allowed buried grievances to emerge and cracks to show and has ultimately left us with a derelict, collapsing husk to show for it. The liberal establishment, more than anyone, has done a poor job of addressing this rot, opting to add a fresh lick of paint to the crumbling house rather than renovate it as is sorely needed. This is reflected too in the frankly bizarre grin-and-bear-it kayfabe attitude of everything being fine, we'll just tinker here or tinker there, that things are flawed but fixable rather than broken and in dire need of rebuilding from the ground up. The establishment and its hangers-on, along with true believers still clinging to the dream, just tick away through a predefined narrative, ignoring everything that doesn't fit like the robots in westworld.

* # ¿ Jan 19, 2017 04:09
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# ¿ May 13, 2024 09:36
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TomViolence
Feb 19, 2013

PLEASE ASK ABOUT MY 80,000 WORD WALLACE AND GROMIT SLASH FICTION. PLEASE.

 This is empty calory bollocks on my part but it just occurred to me that liberalism is kind of like the pre-reformation catholic church. You can salve your conscience and buy your way into heaven through indulgences in the form of charities and good causes, the entire establishment is corrupt and no-one seems to notice or care, there's a cult of saints in the form of activist celebs and adherence to ritual is much more important than any kind of belief in its founding principles.

* # ¿ Jan 19, 2017 21:10
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The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > "The Truth is in the Middle" - The Liberal Ideal in an Era of Nationalism